The Masque
by Mystical Starlight
Summary: A Masque is being held and guess which two find each other by accident?


Ginny watched as her friend Veronica bounced into the common room with joy.

"What wrong with you?" she asked, chuckling slightly

Veronica picked her up out of her chair and began to dance with her.

"Veronica! What is _up_ with you?" she asked, quite startled

"There's going to be a masquerade ball!"

Ginny smiled her mysterious smile, and licked her lips, which she always did when she was happy.

"That's bloody brilliant!"

Veronica stopped dancing when she saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron walk in.

"Hey Gin."

Ginny smiled at Hermione.

"Hi." Ginny looked at Veronica, and walked to the steps.

"I'm going upstairs." Veronica followed her, drowning in a sea of giggles.

Ron and Harry looked at each other, and shrugged. Ginny was looking through her closet. Ginny sat on her bed, trying her hardest not to cry the tears that wanted so badly to come out.

Veronica sat beside her. "What's wrong?" she asked, slipping an arm around her best friend's shoulders.

Ginny motioned for Veronica to take a look at her closet.

Veronica looked at it, and then back at Ginny. "What're we looking at?"

"Look at my clothes! I don't have anything pretty. I'm not going to go to the masque."

Veronica suddenly understood her pain. "Oh Ginny. I'm sure I can find something of mine to give you!"

Veronica was quite aware that Ginny's family was very poor, and even more aware that Ginny didn't want pity. She had pride brighter than her bright red curls. She hated it when people pitied her.

Charolette walked in with Linda behind her.

"What's up guys?" Linda questioned, pulling her shirt off as she spoke.

"The world sucks!" Ginny said, then threw herself face first into her pillow.

"What happened?" Charolette asked in surprise.

Veronica whispered into the two girls' ears what happened.

Charolette threw her arms around Ginny and tried to console her.

"It's ok Ginny." Linda smiled.

"Yeah Gin. We'll figure something out… Hey, do you think your brother's will tell us how to get to Hogsmeade?" Charolette asked.

Ginny nodded and rubbed her nose. "You guys can go, but I don't want to go out tonight. I'm tired."

Ginny led them out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the common room.

George and Lee were playing chess.

"Hey Gin!" Lee took her by the hips and pulled her into his lap.

Ginny blushed, and put her arms around his neck.

"Hey Lee. George, may I ask you a question?"

George nodded, and looked up at her hesitantly from his chess board. He was intense, even more so than Ron when it came to chess.

"Yea Gin?"

"How do you get to Hogsmeade from in here?" Lee smiled and pulled her closer to him.

"My little girl is growing up! She wants to misbehave!" Ginny giggled as Lee lightly tickled her sides.

George nodded.

"I'll take you later. What time?" Ginny looked at the girls.

Charolette looked at Linda.

"Nine." Ginny nodded to George.

"Ok. I'll see you girls then!" Ginny got off Lee's lap.

"Hey! I don't get a kiss goodbye?" Ginny smiled and pecked him quickly on the lips.

"Now that's more like it!"

Ginny quickly ran with the girls into the bed room. Charolette stomped her foot.

"You're so lucky!" Ginny looked up at her.

"Why?" Charolette looked at her as though what she was saying was the simplest thing in the world.

"I wish I had a boy that wasn't my brother demanding a kiss every time I went into, or out of any room he was in!"

Ginny smiled.

"It's only Lee. He's my brothers' best friend! He used to play ballerina with me when I was really little. He was always in the tutu! He even taught me how to ride a broom. I remember once I fell off and I tore my pants. I remember I was crying so, he kissed my knee! And when I was still crying, he got on his broom and fell of on purpose. When I went over to see if he was ok, he took me by the waist and pulled me on him and we rolled around in the dirt and he tickled me for hours!"

The girls swooned.

"Lucky wench!" Charolette shouted.

"I just can't wait until it's 9 o'clock!" Ginny nodded as Charolette  
scratched her forehead lightly.

"You know, I think he's cute." Ginny giggled.

"Lee?" Linda shook her head.

"George." Ginny burst into laughter and fell back into Charlotte's arms.

Ginny tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for George to come down.

Lee ran down the stairs.

"Hey Ginny girl!" Lee picked her up.

"Hey Lee. Where's George?"

"He wanted me to take you. He's busy with some fourth year."

Ginny shuttered. "She's too young for him."

Lee smiled. "Gin, she's in the same year as you."

Ginny shrugged.

"Oh well."

Lee sighed. Ginny looked at him. He smiled and took hers and Veronica's hand.

Ginny giggled and pulled away, pulling Linda into the mix.

"I'm not going with you guys. I'm going to go back upstairs for bed. I'll see you guys when you come back."

Lee gave her a gentle peck before he took the other two down the long hallway.

"Are we almost there?" Charolette wined. "My legs are too tired to keep walking!"

Veronica rolled her eyes and hopped up a small ledge to get into the closed shop.

The three of them tiptoed out of the backdoor and wandered around, looking for someplace interesting to go.

Veronica pulled away from everyone to go by the dress shop she loved ever so much. When she got to it, she stopped dead in her tracks. In the store window, there was a beautiful dress. It was long and a pale blue that complimented her mysterious eyes. She stared at it as though she were a young child staring into a candy store! She felt her eyes burn, and realized that she hadn't been blinking.

The thing that had most taken hold of her was a beautiful gold necklace that hung delicately around the plastic person's neck. She wouldn't be surprised if she had been drooling.

Linda took Veronica's hand and tugged.

"What are you doing?"

Veronica smiled at her. "I have a brilliant idea."

"I am so hungry…" Ginny said to her friends, both of whom were going as slow as possible down to the Great Hall.

As the three of them got inside the large doors, they could hear Professor Dumbledore's loud voice.

"Silence children, please!" Everyone stopped talking and looked up at the Headmaster.

"Thank you. Now, as some young ladies found out yesterday, we are having a masquerade ball in a few days! It will be for Valentines day, and I am very happy to tell you the goings on of that night! You will get dressed up so that nobody, save your room mates, will know who you are! And even then, if you don't want them to know, they don't have to. You will dance until Midnight. When the clock strikes midnight, I shall give word, and all of you shall reveal yourselves! Hopefully you will have masks and not reveal any more than that, but it is after all, your party! If there are any questions... Yes Mr. Weasley?"

Fred stood up and shouted, "Can we come as nude  
models?"

The girls around him giggled. Ginny just snorted with disgust.

"Well Mr. Weasley, I do believe I said it was your party. Your mothers, will be sent pictures of you in your costumes however, so I wouldn't suggest it."

Ginny burst into laughter, and clutched her sides. Professor Dumbledore looked in her direction.

"Well, you may all continue your meal!" Ginny took a piece of toast and stood up.

"I have to get to class." She ran out of the Great Hall, her bag falling off her shoulder.

"Wasn't _she _the hungry one?" Veronica asked a nodding Linda.

Ginny ran at the quickest pace that her little legs would allow her. She didn't want to be late to class again and get points taken away from her house. That was happening all too often recently. Before she knew what was happening however, she was face to chest with someone. She flew backwards and all of her books rained down upon her.

"Oww…"

"Are you alright?" someone asked her and held a hand out to her.

She nodded and took it. She looked up, unsure what to expect.

It was the ever cruel face of Draco Malfoy. His eyes were a gloomy gray color, and his hair was oddly messy this morning. She looked at her watch.

He was late to breakfast. Ginny looked at him over the glasses that she had gotten over the summer before her fourth year. They were a small delicate frame that cost six years of allowances for her to get, and she was very proud of them. She was very upset to have to spend her money though.

Ginny whispered, "Thank you," and took another book that he held out for her.

"Watch where you're going, muggle lover."

Though the words were unkind, the smile, (not smirk) on his lips made it acceptable.

She whipped around, her long red hair slapping him across the face, something her hand feared to do, but would've loved.

Ginny ran to her Transfiguration class. Ginny was first to class, and she sighed with relief to see that her professor wasn't even there yet. She had a favor to ask. When her professor walked in, she wasn't aware that Ginny was there.

"Hi professor!"

Professor McGonagall jumped.

"Oh. Hello dear. You know, you have to get here on time instead of very early. You're going to give me a heart attack!" Ginny giggled.

"I'm sorry Professor. I just needed to ask you a favor."

"Come on! We'll be late!" Veronica, Linda, and Charolette ran into the classroom fifteen minutes late. They walked in, and saw Ginny sitting with a red bag in her hands. The girls sat in their assigned seats as the professor threatened to take points off of Gryffindor next time they were late. They nodded, and looked at the bag.

"What's that?" She shook her head, and continued to listen to the professor. They tried to take it from her, but she wouldn't let them.

"Miss Weasley, stop."

Ginny nodded. The girls waited until the professor was engrossed with her work, and they started to get her bag again.

"Stop!" she whispered hoarsely.

The professor said, "One more outburst from you, and I will send you to another classroom." She nodded.

The Slytherin girls in the class started to laugh, and Ginny felt her ears go pink. The Professor turned back around, and was reading from a book, when Charolette got the bag from her.

"Charolette!" "That's ENOUGH Miss Weasley! Come up here!" Professor McGonagall took a piece of paper and a pencil.

"Go to Professor Snape's class." Ginny took her things and walked down to the door, and knocked on Professor Snapes door. The door creaked open, and his evil eyes looked at her.

"Yes?" She handed him the note, and saw Ron looking at her.

"Ah. Disrupting class I see? Go over there. Next to Mr. Malfoy." Ginny whimpered. When Snape turned around, she shot him an evil look. She sat beside a snickering Malfoy. She put her head in her hands.

"Oh, by the way Miss Weasley, I am taking 40 points from Gryffindor." Ginny bit her lip.

"Yeah, I'll tell you where you can stick them too," she mumbled. Malfoy burst into laughter. When everyone turned to look at them, Malfoy stopped, with a hand over his mouth.

Ron and Harry were giving them an odd look. Ginny looked up at Malfoy.

"What's so funny?" she mouthed. He sneered. Ginny watched the professor walk around. "I doubt any of you will know, but what does the heart bark of Loyal do?" Everyone turned to Hermione, who blushed. She for once hadn't the slightest clue what the answer was.

Ginny raised her hand nervously.

"No Weasley, you may not go yet." Ginny gathered her books anyway.

"I know the answer by the way. The heart bark of Loyal is a very rare discolored patch on the tree in a city called Loyal. It's used to cure anything. The only thing it can't do is change you back to human form if you're a werewolf. Oh, and it may only be found by a woman on the 29th of February if the woman has a unicorn feather in her hair. The tree in hidden in between a bench in a small park, and roses. The woman has to get there by accident. May I go now?"

Professor Snape was staring at her with wide eyes, and nodded. She walked quickly out the room.

Ginny looked up at the steps. Her lips suddenly burst into a huge smile. Ginny ran quickly into her room, pulling her bags behind her. She sat on her bed, and threw her bag across the room. Ginny sighed, and slid an arm around her big teddy bear. Ginny looked down at the green ribbon that was wrapped around it's neck. She was confused.

Her bear never had a ribbon on it before. She shrugged, and closed her eyes against the huge teddy bear.

Ginny opened her eyes when she heard her friends giggling. The door opened, and Ginny hopped up. "Hi." The girls smiled. They were happy for some reason.

"We heard from a very reliable source that you made a fool out of the evil Snape!" Ginny smiled.

"I wouldn't say a fool exactly..." The girls burst into laughter.  
When she finished telling her friends what she said to Snape, the girls  
were already rolling on the ground in a thorough fit of laughter. Ginny  
stood up off the ground, and looked at the clothes she had in her  
wardrobe.

"What are you going to the Ball as?" Veronica smiled.

"I can't tell you! But, we have a surprise for you!" Ginny looked up at them.

"What is it?" The girls were jumping up and down.

"Linda, go get Him, and have Him bring the You-Know-What!" Linda nodded, and ran out of the room.

"Come on, let go of my eyes!" Veronica had her hands over Ginny's eyes.

"Ok, you can let her go." She recognized that male voice as Lee's.

"Ok, I'll let go now!" Ginny could now see. What she saw put her into a state of shock. It was the dress! She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Oh my g... H-how did y-you.." She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Lee paid mostly for it. We added in a bit. All three of us." Ginny ran a hand along the dress, and felt herself start to stutter.

"Oh m-my. B-b-but, why?" Lee smiled.

"You deserve it kid." Ginny ran into his arms, and felt him press a kiss to the top of her head.

"Hey, we don't get any love?" Ginny nearly threw the girls to the ground she jumped on them so fast.

"Thank you so much! But, how am I ever going to repay you guys?" The four looked at each other.

"This is your birthday and Christmas gift," Lee reasoned.

"Lee?" Lee looked at her.

"What?" She smiled.

"Christmas already passed, and my birthday was two weeks ago." Lee shrugged.  
"

Oh well. This is for next year. And the one after that." She smiled.

"Thank you guys so much!"

For the Masque, everyone had to choose a name for themselves and put them in a little box in Dumbledore's office. Ginny hadn't chosen one yet. She couldn't think of one. Looking in a Greek Mythology book, she saw the story, 'Cupid and Psyche.' She liked the name Psyche, but it wasn't long enough for her. She played with the name for hours. She was in her common room when she heard the ending to her name.

"Oh come on Fred! You can't do that! We've been together for what seems to be an era!"

Ginny smiled. She took out her paper, and played with that for a while.

'Psycheera'

"Yuck!" she said softly.

'Psychera.' Again she shook her head. That was when she got it.  
'Psycharra'!(A/N I wonder where I got THAT name from! Those of you that never had me email them before, when I email people, that's what it says my name is. In the little box that says, 'From' Mine is in one, Psy, and the other is Psycharra because that's what I'm changing my name to when I'm 18!)

That was it! And in good time too. This was the day before the Masque, and the last day to pick a name. She ran to the office and saw Malfoy walking out.

"Hi Weasel. Here to beg for money?" Ginny pushed past him, and into the office. Dumbledore was smiling at a piece of paper, when he noticed Ginny.

"Oh, hello Miss Weasley." Ginny smiled.

"Hello Headmaster."

"I see you've finally chosen a name. Let me take a look at it. Go ahead and sit down. Gum drop?"

Ginny shook her head as she reached into her bag for the name. She handed it to him.

"Ooh. Fancy. How do you pronounce it?"

"Sigh-car-ah." Dumbledore said it a few times, and then looked back at her.

"That sounds familiar."

Ginny smiled. "Psyche. I added an ending to it."

Dumbledore's pretty eyes glistened.

"That's great. Mister Malfoy was just here. He too had an interesting name, though I may not tell you what it is just yet."

Ginny smiled.

'Not that I want to know anyway...'

Dumbledore half-smiled as though he had heard her thoughts.

"Well then, I think you had better get going. Oh and Miss Weasley?" Ginny turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

"Would you like me to send up Winkey tomorrow to help you with your getting ready?" Ginny smiled and nodded.

"That would be very nice. I just hope you didn't ask Hermione. She may try to kidnap one and take it away to be 'free'."

Ginny ran out of the office and into her room. It was oddly late, and she had to get to bed. The next morning she awoke to two small hands shaking her.

"You must wake up miss Ginny!" Ginny sat up.

"What happened?" Winkey was standing right in front of her.

"What?"

"We must get you ready for the Masque!" Ginny looked at her.

"It doesn't start until 5:00!" Winkey looked at her watch.

"Oh no! You're late!" Ginny looked at Winkey's watch.

"Sweetie, your watch is on upside down, see? It's not 5:02, it's  
1:20."

Winkey blushed.

"Winkey is very sorry!" Ginny smiled.

"It's ok. I'm still up pretty late for me. We only have seventeen hours..."

Ginny was only trying to make her feel better. It worked. The small elf took Ginny by the hand.

"Ok, come on now!" Ginny grabbed the dress. Winkey pulled Ginny's pajama's over her head, and slid the dress on. Ginny felt the small house elf zip up the back of her long dress. Winkey sat on the sink and pulled her hair back.

"All right. Winkey needs Miss to turn around."

Ginny felt Winkey pull her hair up.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Ginny ran into the bedroom, and grabbed the red bag. Winkey looked into the bag, and smiled.

At The Masque

"Next, here comes Quid." In walked who was most definitely Ron. He had on a grey Quidditch uniform, and his hair was slicked back. His eyes looked very happy, though he tried to hide his very predictable smile. He ran down the long golden stairs and sat at a table that was closest to the door. Harry was there too. They wanted to see everyone that came in.

"Next, Emma Dickson!"

Ginny watched as a girl who must have been Hermione walked in. She was in a thin gardening dress and a blue sun hat. Hermione had long curls encircling her face under the hat.

Hermione quickly ran over to Ron. Oh, excuse me. _Emma_ _Dickson _ran to _Quid_. Ginny was nervous. She didn't know when she would be called, and was terribly scared.

"Next, Laeura." This one was Veronica.

She had on a white dress that touched her ankles. Her hair was slicked back, and her glasses were gone. She slid down the stairs, and ran over to Linda, who was wearing a long pink dress. Also at her side was Charolette.

She was in a short green dress and a sarong around her neck. Ginny felt herself go light headed when she say the list. Three people before.

"Next, Brianna Sear." (A/N I wonder who SHE's dressing up like!) That was Paravati. She was in a tight pink shirt and tight green pants. She had her hair in messy curls, and on the side of her face, she had a microphone. Ron looked at her as though she were a steak dinner and he was a homeless man.

"Next, here is Leroy. Very original!" Professor McGonagall shouted. "I know!" Lee said as he walked in, in grey pants and no shirt. The girls all swooned. Ginny smiled. Lee hadn't even recognized her. Peeves, who was behaving oddly well that day, tapped her shoulder.

"You are next, after this next person." Ginny was nervous, and felt her heart drop.

"Next, Lazarus." Ginny gasped. A boy. A tall boy with a white tux. His eyes were pale blue, and he had light brown hair. It was so light it looked almost blonde. Ginny looked out the curtain. All the girls were staring at him. She couldn't blame them either! He was beautiful!

Ginny suddenly realized that it would be her turn just as soon as this boy, Lazarus, sat down. Oh but she didn't want him to sit! Not only was he pretty to look at, he saved her from her death wish. She could see her tomb stone now! 'Died of Nervousness.' Ginny glanced at her watch. It was 6:40.

"Lastly, here comes Psycharra." Ginny took a deep breath and stood up on the top steps. If every girl had stared at Lazarus, every boys head whipped around when she stood on the top step. Ginny had her long pale dress that hid her light blue heels.

With help from Professor McGonagall, she had changed her eyes to a dark red. Her hair was in a slick bun that rested on top of her head. In the middle of the bun, a big tuft of her now brown hair stuck out. She had butterfly clips in her hair.

On her dress, there were blue and orange butterflies that were fluttering their wings. Her face had been made pale, and she had a small white mask over her eyes. It dipped down over her nose, and also her cheeks. The only thing it showed, were her now red eyes and her blood red lips. Ginny took a deep breath. Everyone was staring at her!

She felt hundreds of eyes follow her walk. She looked for a table where nobody else was. She sat finally where nobody could see her. The music started, and everyone started dancing. Psycharra, (a.k.a Ginny!) was sitting, toying with the butterflies on her dress. Psycharra felt the table shake, and she looked up to see none other than Lazarus sitting across from her.

"Hi." She didn't recognize the voice at all. Ginny smiled.

"Hello." Ginny had changed her voice as well. It was soft and sweet instead of her normal rough hoarse one.

"Why are you here by yourself? Such a pretty thing as yourself should be sitting on the stage so everyone can see you." Psycharra felt her pale cheeks turn pink.

"Where did you get the name Lazarus?" she asked, trying desperately to change the subject. He shrugged.

"I like it. Actually my father chose it." Ginny smiled.

"How did you get, Psycharra was it?" She nodded, and said,

"Well, that's my real name."

She was lying, but this boy didn't know that. Lazarus rolled his eyes.

"Pretty yes. Creative no." She chuckled.

"Ok, stretched out a name I liked, and this is what I came up with."

"Do you know how to dance?" he asked. She smiled.

"My mother forced me to learn how to do ballroom." Lazarus smiled.

"So did mine." Ginny smiled.

"Come with me." He held a hand out. She blushed, and shook her head.

"Come on. Come and dance with me!"

Ginny rolled her red eyes, and held her hand out for him to take. He pulled her to the dance floor. Slowly, he slid his long arms around her waist as the music turned soft. Psycharra looked around.

"They're all looking at us," she whispered into his ear. He looked around, and smiled to her.

"Well then, lets give them something to look at." Ginny looked up at him.

His eyes looked deviously blue eyes.

He took her hand and turned it over to look at the pale white back.

Slowly, never breaking their eye contact, he brought his lips to her pale skin. Ginny felt her heart flutter.

"Now look."

Everyone was staring at them even harder than they had been. Ginny looked at Lazarus. He was staring at him. She slowly followed his gaze. He was staring at a glass door. With no warning, he started to run. Psycharra was forced to follow, since he still held her hand. She couldn't help but to smile.

She felt his grip tighten as they skidded to a stop. Psycharra suddenly saw something she had never seen before. A huge glass water fountain. She smiled, and looked at the water. She was in utter amazement. It was gorgeous! She had never seen anything like it.

"My! I've never seen this before!" Lazarus smiled, and took her hand back in his.

"I know. I put it here not too long ago. It was for the Masque. I didn't exactly expect to dance with anyone, or meet anyone in there."

With a courage that never would have come if she weren't sure there was no possibility he could know who she was, she said, "Did you also have no idea you'd be the most handsome one there?" He gave her a half smile.

"Well, that much I knew." Ginny giggled.

"Did you have any idea you'd be the most breathtaking girl there?"

She blushed.

"I'm not." Lazarus shook his head.

"Ok, he only reason you're not, is because you're out here and not in there. In fact, you're the most breath taking girl I've ever seen."

Ginny felt her ears turn a very bright red. It looked quite amusing on her now pale cheeks. Lazarus waited until she looked at the water before sliding his arms around her waist.

"Tell me who you are."

She smiled. "You know I can't do that."

He turned her around. "At least take the mask off so I may give you a kiss."

Ginny smiled.

"How about I make a deal with you?" Lazarus nodded, his pale blue eyes eager.

"I will let you kiss me at," she looked at her watch.

"12:01." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Well, I suppose I'll wait." Ginny smiled.

"You think me a scarlet woman do you?" He gave her a queer look.

"What makes you think that."

She smiled. "It's 5:58. I've known you for less than an hour, and you're ready to kiss me? As beautiful as it does sound, if I did it, I would be branded a scarlet woman. Therefore, I may not do it."

Lazarus smiled.

"You're too smart." Ginny giggled.

"Ah, but you are one to state the obvious." Lazarus gently took her hand, and again placed a soft kiss on it.

"I suppose this may be a substitute until midnight."

She giggled. "May I ask you a question?"

Smiling, he nodded. "Of course."

Psycharra sighed.

"If I weren't beautiful. If I were as ugly as a turnip, would you still like me?" He smiled.

"I like turnips."

Ginny gave him a serious look. "Lazarus. I'm not joking."

He sighed.

"Yes I would. You're very funny, and sweet. Sarcasms comes to mind. I like you a lot."

She was still not satisfied. "Well, if I wasn't pretty, would you have taken the time to figure that out?"

Lazarus looked from her, to the floor, and then back.

"I don't know. I don't usually walk right up to girls, but there was something about you that made me see. Something about your name that made me want to stare." He reached out and slid his fingers through her soft brown hair.

"I don't know what it was. You're mesmerizing." He was a charmer. There was no doubt about that. She took his hand in hers. They were rough at the fingertips, but the rest were soft and gentle.

She kissed the palm of his left hand, watching his face jump with surprise.

His eyes were watching her intently. He was almost burning holes in the back of her head from the intensity.

"Maybe we should go back inside."

Ginny closed her eyes. Standing, she began to walk toward Hogwarts.

This boy reminded her so much of someone, but she couldn't think of who...

As she entered the dance floor again, she saw that everyone stopped to watch. Her small hands were shaking as Lazarus slipped his arms around her waist.

xXxXxXx

'She can kill with a smile  
She can wound with her eyes  
And she can ruin your faith with her casual lies  
And she only reveals what she wants you to see  
She hides like a child  
But she's always a woman to me  
She can lead you to love  
She can take you or leave you  
She can ask for the truth  
But she'll never believe  
And she'll take what you give her as long as it's free  
Yeah, she steals like a thief but she's always a woman to me  
Oh, she takes care of herself  
She can wait if she wants  
She's ahead of her time  
Oh, and she never gives out  
And she never gives in  
She just changes her mind  
And she'll promise you more  
Than the Garden of Eden  
Then she'll carelessly cut you  
And laugh while you're bleedin'  
But she'll bring out the best  
And the worst you can be  
Blame it all on yourself  
Cause she's always a woman to me  
Oh, she takes care of herself  
She can wait if she wants  
She's ahead of her time  
Oh, and she never gives out  
And she never gives in  
She just changes her mind  
She is frequently kind  
And she's suddenly cruel  
But she can do as she pleases  
She's nobody's fool  
And she can't be convicted  
She's earned her degree  
And the most she will do  
Is throw shadows at you  
But she's always a woman to me'

xXxXxXx

Ginny was shaking as his hands slid their way toward her small bottom.

She whimpered when he gave it a good squeeze.

"Lazarus..." He smiled and gave her shoulder a soft kiss. She smiled as he turned her around.

As she looked at the large glass clock, she saw that it was 11:30.

A half an hour before she knew who her mystery man was. She didn't really mind who it was, so long as it wasn't... Professor Snape or something!

She smiled when he spun her in his arms. She felt herself begin to shake when his lips left her shoulder and slid up to her chin.

"Please Lazarus, you have only thirty more minutes to wait before you can have me. Just wait your time and then you can have all you want." But he grinned at her.

"Why wait when I can have all I want now...?" He kissed her neck again and she was made frighteningly aware of the eyes following them.

"Just wait for me, please?" He groaned and nodded.

"Fine. I'll wait..." She smiled softly and began dancing once again in his arms.

xXxXxXx

'A bottle of white, a bottle of red  
Perhaps a bottle of rose instead  
We'll get a table near the street  
In our old familiar place  
You and I, face to face oooh  
A bottle of red, a bottle of white  
It all depends on your appetite  
I'll meet you any time you want  
In our Italian Restaurant.  
Things are okay with me these days  
Got a good job, got a good office  
Got a new wife, got a new life  
And the family is fine  
Oh, we lost touch long ago  
You lost weight, I did not know  
You could ever look so nice after so much time!  
Do you remember those days hanging out at the village green?  
Engineer boots, leather jackets,and tight blue jeans  
Oh, you'd drop a dime in the box play a song  
About New Orleans  
Cold beer, hot lights  
My sweet romantic teenage nights  
Brenda and Eddie were the popular steadies  
And the king and the queen at the prom  
Riding around with the car top down  
And the radio on  
Nobody looked any finer or was more of a hit at the Parkway Diner  
We never knew we could want more than that out of life  
Surely Brenda and Eddie would always know how to survive  
Brenda and Eddie were still going steady in the summer of '75  
When they decided the marriage would be at the end of July  
Everyone said they were crazy  
Brenda you know that you're much too lazy  
And Eddie could never afford to live that kind of life  
But there we were waving Brenda and Eddie goodbye.  
They got an apartment with deep pile carpet  
And a couple of paintings from Sears  
A big waterbed that they bought with the bread  
They had saved for a couple of years  
But they started to fight when the money got tight  
And they just didn't count on the tears  
Well they lived for a while in a very nice style  
But it's always the same in the end  
They got a divorce as a matter of course  
And they parted the closest of friends  
Then the king and the queen went back to the green  
But you can never go back there again.  
Brenda and Eddie had had it already  
By the summer of '75  
From the high to the low to the end of the show  
For the rest of their lives  
They couldn't go back to the greasers  
The best they could do was pick up their pieces  
But we always knew they would both find a way to get by  
Oh, that's all I heard about Brenda and Eddie  
Can't tell you more cause I told you already  
And here we are waving Brenda and Eddie goodbye.  
A bottle of red, and bottle of white  
Whatever kind of mood you're in tonight  
I'll meet you anytime you want  
In our Italian Restaurant'

xXxXxXx

It was now 11:42. She was starting to shake. It was soon time for him to know who she truly was... She was sure that he wouldn't like her when he found out who she really was... She was a Weasley for Christ's sake!

xXxXxXx

'I am the entertainer, and I know just where I stand,  
Another serenader and another long-haired band  
Today I am your champion, I may have won your hearts  
But I know the game you'll forget my name  
And I won't be here in another year  
If I don't stay on the charts  
I am the entertainer and I've had to pay my price,  
The things I did not know at first I learned by doing twice  
But still they come to haunt me,  
Still they want their say,  
So I've learned to dance with a hand in my pants  
I let 'em rub my neck and I write 'em a check  
And they go their merry way  
I am the entertainer, been all around the world,  
I've played all kinds of palaces and laid all kinds of girls  
I can't remember faces, I don't remember names,  
But what the hell, you know it's just as well  
'Cause after a while and a thousand miles  
It all becomes the same  
I am the entertainer, I bring to you my songs,  
I'd like to spend a day or two, but I can't stay that long  
I got to meet expenses, I got to stay in line,  
Got to get those fees to the agencies  
And I'd love to stay but there's bills to pay  
So I just don't have the time  
I am the entertainer, I've come to do my show,  
You've heard my latest record, it's been on the radio  
It took me years to write it, they were the best years of my life,  
It was a beautiful song, but it ran too long  
If you're gonna have a hit you gotta make it fit  
So they cut it down to 3:05  
I am the entertainer, the idol of my age,  
I make all kinds of money when I go on the stage  
You see me in the papers, I've been in the magazines,  
But if I go cold, I won't get sold,  
I get put in the back of a discount rack  
Like another can of beans  
I am the entertainer and I know just where I stand,  
Another serenader and another long-haired band  
Today I am your champion, I may have won your hearts,  
But I know the game, you'll forget my name,  
I won't be here in another year If I don't stay on the charts'

xXxXxXx

Ginny looked at her watch. It was 11:55. Five more minutes.

Lazarus felt her stiffen in his arms.

"Don't worry Psy."

She smiled at the sweetness of the gentle nickname. She sighed. Was there a way to get out of it? He wouldn't let her go to the bathroom now... No. She just had to face the music and just do it...

Dumbledore stood at the table.

"Two more minutes!" Ginny started to shake as her eyes turned bloodshot. Lazarus slid his arms around her and rested her forehead against his chest.

"Don't be afraid Psy." But she was. There were twenty-two seconds left.

'Please no...'

Five, four, three, two...

She put her hands over her face as Lazarus took his wand out and whispered "Finite Incantum." She refused to look.

"Please. Show me your face... Ginny." Ginny's ears perked up. How did he know?

"Finite Incantum..." she whispered too, her hair falling out of its bun and down to her feet. All of the boys around the hall groaned with  
dissatisfaction.

Ginny looked up.

It was Draco Malfoy! Oh how she should have suspected... That smell... He had gone in right before her to put his name in!

"How did you know it was me?" He half-smiled and leaned in.

"How do you think they got the money for that dress?"

Her jaw dropped.

"You...?" He nodded.

"Now, about my kiss..."

He leaned down and captured her lips with his.

And that was the end of the Masque, but the beginning of their lives together.

A/N This is the re-edited version of this story, again lol. I like it a lot now so yeah lol. I wrote it when I was 11 originally, and then again when I was a little older, and now here it goes again lol. I was thinking about starting a series with it but I have now decided AGAINST it lol. I have enough shit I'm writing that I don't need any more lol


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